An audience member was kicked out of a Royal Shakespeare Company play with her baby. During a performance of ‘The Tempest’, the woman was asked not to return after the intermission. The company has a ‘baby on lap policy’, but does ask parents to leave the room if there is a commotion.
Source: The Independent, Daily Mail
“There was a young woman with a baby in the audience. The baby was making noise throughout the first act,” 53-year-old Sian Morgan told The Daily Mail. “Thankfully there was no real screaming or crying, but the child babbled, cooed and chirped loudly all the time. It never stopped.”
According to her, a theater audience is usually very tolerant and progressive. “But this child ruined the performance because it hindered concentration. Towards the end you could hear people sighing and turning around to express their displeasure,” she said.
Morgan said there were “lines of people complaining” at the tills, while others asked for refunds. Ultimately, the mother and baby were asked not to return after the break. They could follow the performance on screens from the theater café.
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Another attendee told The Daily Mail that their group had traveled six hours and paid £400 to attend the performance but it was “completely ruined” by the disruption. “Nobody wanted to be rude to a young mother, but it was extraordinary that she didn’t seem to sense the situation and didn’t bring the baby out when the noise started,” the visitor said.
Baby on lap policy
According to the Royal Shakespeare Company, there is a ‘baby on lap policy’. “It is vital that all our visitors feel welcome in our theaters. This policy should ensure that parents and carers with young babies can enjoy our spaces. In addition to the auditoriums, we offer alternative spaces should anyone become restless during a performance,” the society told ‘The Independent’.
Lap babies (from 0 to 18 months) have free access to all RSC performances, with the exception of try-outs. “We understand that excessive noise during a performance can be disruptive to visitors and actors. Our policy therefore advises that, if the baby is disturbing others, an adult in the party can watch the performance with the baby via the screen outside the auditorium.”